The Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) works to promote and strengthen democratic local government throughout the Commonwealth and to encourage the exchange of good practice in local government structures and services.
CLGF is based in London with regional project offices in the Pacific, India and South Africa. It works through its 170 members in 40 Commonwealth countries, particularly the national local government associations, ministries dealing with local government, individual local authorities, and regional and international partners. It brings together practitioners from all spheres of government who are involved in local government to pool experiences and share good practice.
Its members include local councils and municipalities, local government associations and ministries of local government. Trade unions, training and research institutions and professional or employers’ associations are welcome as associate members.
Foundation
1995 Officers: Chair: Mayor Zenaida Muoya (Mayor, Belize City Council); Vice-Chairpersons: Mayor Amos Masondo (President, South African Local Government Association), The Hon Hazel Manning (Minister of Local Government, Trinidad and Tobago); Secretary-General: Carl Wright; Deputy Secretary-General: Lucy Slack; Director of Communications: Sue Rhodes; Regional Project Manager (Pacific): Karibaiti Taoaba; Project Officer (India): Anuya Kuwar; Project Officer (Southern Africa): Nyasha Simbanegavi
Activities
CLGF encourages local democracy through local election support and monitoring, exchange of experience and good practice, technical projects and partnerships to strengthen local government capacity and implement the Commonwealth principles on good practice for local democracy and good governance, and information and research on innovations and good practice in local government. It organises symposiums and workshops on democracy and local government issues in all regions of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth Local Government Good Practice Scheme funds technical co-operation partnerships between local authorities.
CLGF is the voice for local government in Commonwealth, advocating decentralisation and good local governance and the role of local government in tackling poverty, delivering the MDGs and other global issues at key Commonwealth and international forums.
The Forum holds the biennial Commonwealth Local Government Conference. The fifth conference was held in Freeport, The Bahamas, in May 2009 with the theme of ‘improving local government: the Commonwealth vision’. The 2011 conference, on ‘partnerships for promoting local economic development’, will take place in Cardiff, UK, from 15 to 18 March 2011 (visit www.clgc2011.org).
Publications
CLGF Bulletin (3/4 p.a.); CLGF enews – a regular update on what’s happening in local government throughout the Commonwealth; Commonwealth Local Government Handbook (a complete guide to local government systems in Commonwealth countries with case studies of innovative reforms in local government structures and services, published annually); E-journal of Commonwealth Local Governance and Democracy (from early 2008); Aberdeen Agenda: Commonwealth Principles on Good Practice for Local Democracy and Good Governance; research, workshop and conference reports.
CLGF headquarters, 16a Northumberland Avenue
London WC2N 5AP, UK
Tel: +44 20 7389 1490
Fax: +44 20 7389 1499
Email: info@clgf.org.uk
www.clgf.org.uk
Pacific Regional Office, GPO Box 159, Suva, Fiji Islands
Tel: +679 330 0257
Fax: +679 330 2729
Email: clgfsuva@connect.com.fj